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From H. W. Bates 20 May 1870

Royal Geographic Society | 15, Whitehall Place, S.W.

May 20 1870

My dear Mr Darwin

I have been having some conversation with the Editor of the “Academy” about Mr Wallace’s last book & the appearance of backsliding from the Darwinian theory which it contains.1 Other sincere friends of the pure truth have expressed a little surprise & bewilderment at the same phenomenon. The views of friend Wallace are so plausible & suit so well wide-spread prejudices that you no doubt think with me they ought to be controverted. But who is to criticise them? No one but yourself. I do not think anyone else would have the present insight into the fallacy but yourself: to others it would require much study & labour to marshal the arguments. I said so to Mr Appleton & he begged of me to write to you in support of a request he is going to make to you to write him a short article as review of the book.2

When you were last in town I spoke to you about some sentences I had written on Man, interwoven in last chapter of Mrs Somerville’s book.3 It weighs on my conscience to think that you took too much notice of what I said: for I do not really think there is much in the matter worthy of your attention